On My Own....
by lost and cruel
Summary: Rachel is left alone, after the others are made controllers. Takes place after Marco rescues his parents.
1. Confusion

Note: I chose not to explain about the Yeerks and everything first.... most people reading these fics know perfectly well about them. The same with the rest of the characters and the aliens' appearances.  
  
A/N: Animorphs don't belong to me. This is in Rachel's POV, taking place after Marco reunites his parents. He's living in the Hork-Bajir valley. Please R/R!  
  
  
Cassie was in trouble. Big.   
She and Jake had gone... where? To the movies? The mall? No, not the mall. They both hated shopping. I knew it all too well.  
"Our best bet is either the movies or the forest. Or, maybe, Cassie's barn," I semi-confidently told Ax and Tobias.   
  
Tobias, Ax and I were at my house, in my room. I had called them there ten minutes before for an urgent meeting.   
  
Tobias, perched on the window sill, glared at me with his dangerous eyes. Rachel, _what_ is going ON? You told me and Ax to come here. You tell us where Cassie and Jake are. Why do we care? Tell us. he sounded angry, almost hurt. _Please_. That confirmed it. Tobias was too sensitive-- why had I called him? Oh well, dwelling wouldn't help anyone.  
"Okay, listen," I said firmly, standing in front of them. "First of all, no one else but we three can know this. All of our lives depend on it."  
As Marco would say, what else is new? Ax even sounded annoyed. He was next to Tobias, in his Harrier morph.  
Guys definitely were not the ones to call when you needed to be serious, I decided. But what else could I have done?  
"Stop it, please," I pleaded, "This is serious. I have reason to believe--" I lowered my voice, "that Jake has been taken. By _them_. And Cassie is with him, alone."   
  
Tobias stared. Ax's expression remained neutral. I didn't believe it. "Hello? Jake, taken? As in our _leader_, Jake?!"   
  
Ax thought-spoke even more softly than normal. He looked me in the eye. And what makes that so different from any of the rest of us?   
  
Now it was _my_ turn to stare. What was he getting on to? "Ax, what the hell are you talking about? I'm saying that Jake is a Controller and you two just stare. What is your problem?" I said impatiently.   
  
Tobias and Ax were quiet, but I had the feeling they were privately conversing because of the way Ax's eyes were unfocused and Tobias was avoiding my eyes. Finally they both looked at me.  
Tobias looked flustered and awkwardly avoided my eyes. Rachel, we, uh, have to go now.   
  
"What?! You're LEAVING? Did you even hear me? What are you doing this for... you know I'm going to find you! Hello?" But they were gone, out the window.   
  
I flopped on my bed, frustrated. I had just told them our leader was a Controller and they didn't care. What did they know that I didn't? I had to find out. I sighed and climed out onto the roof from my screenless window. After watching the stars come out, I took a deep breath.   
  
I was going owl.


	2. Revealed

A/N: Animorphs aren't mine. I only own the plot. R/R.  
  
  
Problems, everywhere. Cassie. Gone. Jake a Controller, Ax and Tobias acting strangely. Who knew where Marco was these days. Probably frolicking with the Hork-Bajir in their valley. I had to admit it- I was jealous. Marco had no problems but the occasional visits from the battle-prone Animorph gang. And, of course, the Yeerk invasion.  
But whatever Ax and Tobias thought, I wasn't crazy. I had been standing in the doorway of Jake's house, about to ring the doorbell, when I heard shouts from inside. They didn't sound human. I leapt into the bushes in front of the house and morphed to cat as fast as I could. I then witnessed the whole ordeal, Jake being forced out of the house by Tom and his parents, with two Hork-Bajir backing them up. Forced out by his own parents. The thought of it made me shudder. His muffled cries resounded in my mind. What was the last thing he'd said to me as a free person? I couldn't even remember. After his family had viciously dragged him into the minivan parked a few houses down and drove off, I'd shakily demorphed and walked home. I didn't want to know what had happened afterward, but it wasn't a hard guess.   
He was one of Them.  
  
Flying, apart from being the coolest thing in the world, is good thinking time.   
  
My thinking had worked me up into a self-pity mood, but I didn't let it get into the way of my one man— wait, woman— mission. I was approaching the area near Tobias' meadow where he and Ax often talked or just sat around. At the moment, it was quiet, meaning no one was there. Oh well, it wouldn't be long. I landed on the ground, demorphed, morphed into a fly, and waited. I did not enjoy it.  
Finally, after about fifteen minutes of being generally grossed out, I heard Ax come crashing into the scene. A minute later, a flapping of wings indicated Tobias' arrival. Right when Tobias arrived he went human. Unusual. I made myself nice and comfy on a tree branch, waiting for the answers to come.   
  
When Tobias had finished morphing, he looked at Ax and said, "Greetings, Shiia two seven one. It seems we have a crisis involving the human Rachel."  
Yes, Mejn three nine five. Hept eight eight four's host's cousin will be trouble. I can sense it... she has a fire not unlike that of my host.  
  
I was shocked. I nearly fell off the tree branch. I nearly screamed at those filthy slugs to get out of my friends' heads. I nearly demorphed and _ripped_ them out.   
  
But I didn't.   
  
Controllers? Tobias and Ax? Jake as well? But what about Cassie? Oh no. Not Cassie. Did that mean I was alone? Alone in the midst of a bunch of Controllers. Who, it sounded like, were out to get me. I'm no fool. I knew I had to hide, and fast. The Yeerks would waste no time getting me to that hell of a pool. The _Yeerk_ Pool. As I thought the word, I sneered inwardly. All of my problems, caused by the Yeerks. My friends, gone. Because of the Yeerks. Why me? _Why?_ I half expected the Ellimist to answer. But, nothing. Figures, I thought. Right when I need him he's gone.   
  
After the questions came anger. I seethed inside, knowing those disgusting worms were inside Tobias' head. Inside Jake. Ax. Cassie, even. I can't go on like this, I thought desperately. I've been through so much with them; they're not leaving me now. Not if I can help it. My insides were burning. My fly body buzzed uncontrollably. I screamed to no one in thought speak.   
  
Needless to say, I'd heard enough. I hauled my gross self as fast as I could back home. I had so much trouble finding the right house in the fly body that I stopped at the edge of the woods to demorph.   
  
This feels so weird, I thought. I have no one to tell about this... no one... they're all gone... friends to enemies, in minutes...  
Then came the third stage of shock, after confusion and anger— sadness. Wallowing in my sorrow I walked back to the house. I was too tired to morph, anyway. At home, I collapsed pitifully on my bed and sobbed. After a few moments I suddenly stopped and sat up. What was I _doing_?! _Rachel doesn't cry_, I told myself. _Rachel thinks of a plan. What happened to __Xena, Warrior Princess_? I smiled a little at that, remembering Marco. _Good old Marco. Maybe he can help._ I decided that before I got a few hours of sleep, I would ask Erik to send a Chee to take my place while I hid with Marco and his family until we could think of a plan. A battle plan would be best; an escape plan might work as well. The thought of escaping and leaving my friends made me sick. I thought of what they were all going through right now. Being enslaved, unable to control themselves.  
Okay, I said to myself, So we make a defensive battle plan.   
  
  
  
What's gonna happen!? Review and tell me! LOL!


	3. Planning

A/N: I own the plot. Not the Animorphs. R/R, kay?  
  
  
Dawn. Well, before dawn, actually. I wasn't used to getting up this early.   
I was an eagle, flying across the forest. I scanned the horizon with my amazing eyes and couldn't see anything. Flying closer, I realized I did see something-- but I had to look awful hard to notice it. A slight curve in the jagged mountains, and the sun poking through, illuminating it. I flew toward it, top speed.   
Thoughts about the situation kept flashing through my mind. It was like a dream. My worst nightmare. I'd had dreams like this before, what was to say it wasn't just another one? I sighed. No. If this were a dream, I'd have woken up a while ago. Sweating and out of breath, like I'd run a mile.   
Just then a thought struck me. Why hadn't Visser One showed up yet? Surely if he knew, he should be. The 'Andalite bandits' were caught. All except one. He should be ecstatic. Tirelessly chasing me down with all kinds of ships and creatures.  
Maybe he is, I spoke to the forest. Just because I can't see them doesn't mean they're not there. This has happened before.  
After pondering it for a while, a rather shocking thought popped into my head. Like a bubble that was there the whole time, but burst at that moment.  
What if the Yeerks controlling my friends were doing it in _secret_? I'd heard the Visser himself say it: he wouldn't want any competition. He thought we were Andalites— he couldn't let more Andalite-controllers on the loose. _Oh, crap_, I thought, _This can't get any worse._  
Refocusing on my location, I found that I was at the valley. Flying over it, I looked around at the activity. The female Hork-Bajir, caring for young, climbing trees, stripping bark. It was amazing how alike to humans they were. A group of three dozen or so were repairing something. Something big.   
_Repairing something?_ Since when did the Hork-Bajir posess something big enough to repair? I couldn't see what it was because their bodies were covering it. Suddenly, several Hork-Bajir jumped off of the object. I could see what it was. I also nearly fell out of the sky.  
Things hadn't gone to worst yet, after all.   
The object was a Bug Fighter.  
  
Calm down, Rachel, calm down, I said. Think. What does this mean?  
It means they're all Controllers, a voice in my head said. For a moment I thought it had been myself talking, but when nothing happened I understood. It was Marco.   
I'd been wondering what the Osprey in the tree near the end of the valley was doing there.  
MARCO! I yelled. What happened? Why are they controllers? Why aren't _you_ a Controller? Do you know what's going on? We're the only free Animorphs left! The—  
Whoa, calm down, Rachel. It's okay. I got away just in time... I don't think they knew I could morph. They— they— got my parents— His voice choked. I felt a surge of sympathy come on. They had been so happy. His mother had only recently been freed. His father.. I didn't want to think about it. There wasn't a point, really. Nothing I could do about it. He continued. Them and most of the Hork-Bajir. I think Toby and Ket got away. Jara, well... look down. I looked. I saw Jara almost immediately due to the six inch long scar on his head. It looked like someone had drawn a line with a marker. He'd gotten the scar when he was demonstrating his freedom to me, Jake, Ax, and Tobias. Jara was working. Helping to repair the Bug Fighter. A little thought-spoken squeak escaped from me. I had so much reason to hate the Yeerks. My eagle body was practically vibrating with rage at them. The dirty, filthy, brain infesting little—  
Rachel?  
Oh. Yeah. What?  
Did I hear you say something about us being the only free Animorphs left?  
Yes, that's why I came here. I'm the only free Animorph, besides you. Jake, Cassie, Ax, Tobias, they're all Controllers. I overheard Ax and Tobias talking. Saying Yeerkish names. I _saw_ Jake being taken away. Cassie was gone with Jake when I called afterwards. They're all taken, Marco.  
He'd stayed silent through my whole speech. He seemed to be thinking. A minute later he voiced exactly what I'd been thinking.  
Why hasn't Visser One come after us?  
That's what I've been thinking. Do you think that a group of.. I don't know, _rebel_ Yeerks or something decided to take us all in secret? Remember when we were on the Mother Ship and he'd said that he didn't want competition? He doesn't want other Yeerks with Andalite bodies. And I've seen one myself.  
Meaning that either the Visser suddenly has decided to demote himself, which I seriously doubt, or that he knows nothing about this. I get it. I remember when he said that.  
Marco. What happened here?  
Oh, this. Well, it was pretty much your basic ambush. Three Bug Fighters appear out of thin air, stun more or less every Hork-Bajir here, and infest them all. A few weren't stunned right away and either ran or helped mutilate one of the Fighters. The one down there. Ket and Toby wanted to help destroy it, but a bunch of their followers made them get to safety. My parents had been down with the Hork-Bajir, so they were stunned. I was up in the cave and morphed a fly, then when they were busy infesting the Hork-Bajir I morphed Osprey and flew out. I've been in this tree for about an hour.  
Well. I have a feeling that two successful Yeerk attacks on us within ten hours isn't a coincidence. Our friends' Yeerks must have gotten Bug Fighters. Marco, we need to do something!  
  
  
You like? Good. If you don't like it, please give me **constructive** criticism. I can't change it if you don't tell me what's wrong.


	4. Almost...

A/N: I own the plot. Not the Animorphs. R/R, kay?  
  
  
"Well, it might work except for one problem. Which is that it's impossible. Not to mention insane, stupid and about a million other things I won't say."  
"What's the big deal? All I'm saying is that they need somewhere to stay. Do we know anywhere, _anywhere_ else that is safe enough? That the Yeerks don't know about.... can't know about? It's not impossible. We just need some... method of transportation."   
I smiled sheepishly. "Plus. Erek needs company."  
It was probably close to one o'clock in the afternoon. A beautiful, sunny day. Despite our current problems. Me, Marco, Toby, and Ket were deep in the forest. Far from the repair site of the Bug Fighter. We were having a discussion on how to keep the Hork-Bajir, not to mention ourselves, safe. I was perched on a tree branch. I'd managed to demorph there without falling off. Marco was sitting on the forest floor, leaves and twigs strewn around. Ket and Toby were standing a few feet away, looking uncertain. At least Ket was. Toby seemed calm and alert, not scared or panicked.  
"So. What do we plan to do? I use the term 'we' very loosely. See, _we_ are not both future nuthouse inmates. _We_ do not enjoy thinking of suicidal plans to save a couple of walking lawnmowers. Not," Marco added, "that they would ever mow down anything but tree bark. And lastly, _we_ do not call a couple of Yeerks over to our houses and practically invite them to destroy us."  
"Yeah. Well. How could I know? And this plan isn't suicidal," I said, glancing at Toby and Ket, "and this couple of walking lawnmowers saved our lives, remember? And established the only free Hork-Bajir colony in the world. So there." I smirked at Marco. He smirked back.   
Toby broke apart me and Marco's little standoff. "Rachel, Marco, where are my mother and I to go? How will we stay safe?"  
"Well," I said, looking skeptically over at Marco, "We need to somehow get you out of the forest and halfway across town to Erek the Chee's house. You can stay with him."  
"I wonder what happens when you mix Hork-Bajir and dogs. Bladed dogs? Furry Horkies? Hmmm. Somehow it doesn't mix." Marco stroked his chin. He appeared to be thinking. "I think we better stick with the pet scene."  
I laughed. It wasn't that funny, but I laughed anyway. I wanted to feel better.  
See, Marco didn't know how I was feeling. Marco hadn't been with the Animorphs since the day the Chee faked his death. He spends his time in hiding, only doing the most important missions with us... I don't think he understood how I felt. It was like having your arm cut off. Or the hair that you grew for years. Your family, taken away. All of those things, combined. In the past months, my life had changed so much. The Animorphs _were_ my life. I quit gymnastics, even frequented the mall less, just to be with my friends. Planning ways to hurt the Yeerks. I was willing to give up everything I had to join the resistance.   
Now Marco, he didn't see it that way. The way he saw it was that he needed to save his mom. She was the only thing that mattered in this war. Sure, he cared about the human race... his family, friends, and everyone else. But he knew it was only a matter of time before the end. Before we didn't make that last escape attempt. Before we all ended up in Visser One's hands, with nowhere to run. And he had a reason to hesitate in all this. He couldn't leave his dad. If he disappeared suddenly, his dad would have no one.   
But now.  
Now Marco and his parents were something out of a fairy tale. So happy, so perfect. Living amongst aliens, but wonderfully belonging. Marco had no reason to stop fighting. In fact, he had more of a reason to keep fighting. But he'd decided that he wanted to be happy. For once in this nightmare of a reality, he wanted to be free. From the responsibility and stress of an Animorph.  
I didn't blame him. But I was alone, alone with no one, and Marco had his friends with him. His room-mates, in a way. He lived with Ket and Toby, saw them every day. And here they were with him.   
Back to the conversation.  
"Marco. How do _you_ think we should do this, if my way doesn't work?"  
"Easy. We ditch the truck stealing idea. We _hitch_ the idea of letting the Hork-Bajir morph. We have the blue box, don't we?"  
Oh. My. God. That had to be the craziest idea Marco had ever had- and he'd had very few ideas. I took a deep breath. I stared. I took another deep breath. "Marco. You're a genius."   
"Well, yeah. But I try not to talk about it." He laughed.  
"But can we do it? Do you know where the box is? Anyway..." I gasped as I realized it, "the others! The Yeerks... wouldn't they go after it? How long has it been since... since they were taken?"   
He looked troubled. So did Toby. I don't think Ket got the concept of the blue box.   
"Morphing?" said Toby doubtfully. "We Hork-Bajir could have morphing powers? Like you? It is possible?"  
"Sure," said Marco, "As long as you have us and the blue box, you can count on it." He turned to look at me. "But I see what you mean... is Cassie the only one who knows where it is? I mean... she did relocate it, didn't she?"  
I wasn't sure. I knew she was supposed to, after the attack from the Helmacrons, but I didn't know if she had. But, fortunately, I knew where it was, even if it had been placed somewhere new. It didn't hurt to be best friends with the official blue-box-hider.   
"Yeah, I think so. But whether she did or she didn't, I know where it is. I'm her... I mean, I was her..." I inhaled.  
"Her best friend."  
  
  
Like it? Tell me!


	5. Action

A/N: I own the plot. Not the Animorphs.  
  
  
I looked down at the dirt. There wasn't the slightest depression, the slightest clue to reveal what lay under there. I glanced back up to the edge of the forest, where I could just see the glimmer of a blade by moonlight. Toby. Or Ket. Waiting.   
  
Hastily checking to see if anyone but my friends were around, I began to dig. I shoved the blade of the trowel into the dirt and pushed. Luckily it wasn't packed hard and it only took about two minutes for me to spot the glittering edge of a toy truck, nearly three feet underground. A toy truck in which, expertly concealed inside, sat the key to our future. My future. I pried the secret panel off of the side of the toy and looked inside. Relief, then dread swept through me. I had to hurry out of there. I tossed the truck back into the hole and filled it up. I patted the dirt to make sure it looked like no one had been there. Then I grabbed the cube and hauled out of there.  
Let me tell you: stealing an _escafil_ device in any case is nerve-wracking. But stealing an _escafil_ device by digging a hole in the ground near an Andalite-Controller's living quarters deep in a dark forest in the middle of the night is toture. It's painful beyond imagining. Knowing that a fate worse than death awaits you if you make a sound loud enough to hear. I shivered as I envisioned an Andalite leaping out of its underground home and slamming it's tail blade against my head. It was not a good picture.  
Note to self: don't steal any more _escafil_ devices.  
I ran through the forest as silently and quickly as my human legs would carry me. Fortunately, my friends weren't more than two hundred yards away. I signaled them to follow me and we silently (well, as silently as two humans and two Hork-Bajir can tiptoe through the forest at night) traveled to the cave where we had hidden Jara and Ket for the first time, weeks and weeks ago. Marco and I entered, crouching to fit into the entrance. I reached the back first, and felt around the walls. Nothing there. Good. Marco arrived about five seconds after me, muttering something about sharing a house with Swiss army knives.   
Ket clambered in next, and Toby came last. There was a sort of dent in the back of the cave, a round-edged scoop. We all sat in it, on the dusty earthen floor. In the light coming in from outside and the glow from the cube, I watched the two Hork-Bajir as they settled down. They both looked rather apprehensive.  
"Okay," I began, "let's do it."  
A sort of snort came from Marco. He was probably thinking that even in this time of crisis, I was all gung-ho and ready for anything. Unfortunately, he was wrong.  
I gently took the morphing cube out of the small sack. The cube was the same size on all six sides, about five inches, and very bright, baby blue. It seemed to be steadily glowing. It felt smooth, but it was warm to the touch. Like there was a lightbulb inside. I suddenly wondered how many of these existed. The Andalites couldn't have made many; there was no need. _No matter what_, I thought, _it's the only one on Earth._   
I hesitated, looked at Marco and said, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"   
"Yeah," he said. "Besides, if these two get caught, which they won't thanks to my expert thinking power, then we're done for."  
"All right then," I agreed, "here we go!"  
For some reason, the tension in the room seemed to diminish. I moved the cube to the center of our little circle, and told Toby and Ket to place their hands on the cube. They did. They didn't seem too worried anymore, mostly curious. I put my right hand on the side nearest me, and concentrated. I really had no clue what to do, so in my mind I pictured the morphing power flowing into Ket and Toby. The power looked like the illustrations of wind in those little kids' books. You know, like wispy shapes. Except in my mind it was blue and glowing.   
Ket gave off a little yelp. Toby's expression became concentrated, like she was trying to figure out where the tingling sensation was coming from. After about twenty seconds of concentrating, I took my hand off the cube. "That's it," I breathed. "We did it."  
"Uh, no. Remember? We still have an entire mission ahead of us. Including getting them—" Marco jerked his head at the Hork-Bajir "—across a town."  
I smiled and playfully whacked his shoulder. "Shut up." Turning serious again, I turned back toward Ket and Toby. Toby said, "I felt a prickling feeling go through my body. Do me and Mother have the morphing power now?"  
"Yes," I said, "But you can't morph yet. First you have to acquire an animal."  
  
  
Ooo! The next chapter is going to be oh*so*fun to write! LOL...


	6. Mission Underway...

A/N: Plot=mine. Everything else=K.A.'s  
  
  
The following morning I morphed to seagull, flew to the beach, and mingled in the noisy cloud of birds. Ten minutes later I sighted what I needed. Keeping my prey in view, I flapped higher; separated myself from the wheeling, screeching gulls. I decided I had enough altitude; I dove, down, down, wind rushing loudly across my feathers as I dropped like a bomb.  
Like a bomb, at least, to the pigeon.  
Falling! Thirty feet above it! Twenty! Fifteen! Five! Fourthreetwoone...  
SWOOSH!  
I grabbed the pigeon and hauled. It must have been an odd sight to anyone who happened to glance up at the suddenly shrieking pigeon, which was caught in a runaway seagull's claws. The claws, however, were not made for carrying wriggling pigeons. I struggled to keep hold, fervently wishing I had the deadly talons of the eagle. But, unlike the gull, the little bird wasn't built for endless flapping, and as I flew on, gradually became weaker.   
Fifteen minutes later I was back in the cave. Demorphed after shoving the feebly stuggling pigeon into Marco's outstretched hands. As my body shifted, feathers melting into pale skin, I watched my Hork-Bajir friends approach it and cautiously reach out to touch it.   
"Now, all you have to do," Marco was explaining, sounding like he was talking to a small child, "is touch it and think about it. If it works, Cuckoo here should stop moving. That's it, picture the birdie in your mind." He rolled his eyes at me as Ket scrunched up her eyes in concentration and gingerly stroked the pigeon. I grinned.  
"Remember us?" I mouthed, and he nodded and grinned back.  
Sure enough, the bird went still. Long enough for Toby to acquire it as well as Ket. When they had finished, Marco and I acquired it also.   
"Alrighty, we've gotta make this quick here," I said matter-of-factly, "In, acquire, morph, blend." I emphasized the last word. "Now, Toby, Ket, I would advise you to shut your eyes when you morph, because it's not going to be pretty. But it won't hurt," I added quickly at the look of horror that had appeared on Ket's face. "Just close your eyes and concentrate on the pigeon. Make a picture of it in your mind." A pang of doubt shot through me. I wondered if the Hork-Bajir, such a simple species, were even capable of morphing. _But they have to be,_ I reasoned with myself, _they're sentient creatures._ "Do you understand what to do?" Ket nodded fearfully, and Toby said "yes" in a grave voice.  
"Geez, cheer up, you're the first-ever-morphing Hork-Bajir," said Marco mildly.  
"Ready? Okay!" I winced. I sounded like a cheerleader. _Get a grip, Rachel,_ I thought defiantly, _you are NOT a cheerleader!_  
"Rachel? Aren't you going to..."  
"Yeah. Let's do it!"  
I focused on the newest DNA within me. The first change came to my skin. It turned the familiar, ashen color of birds' skin. Without feathers, I began to shrink. My legs turned gross and scaly. My eyes became beady and black, and my arms transformed into wings. My internals squished around unpleasantly, and I was a pigeon. A _still featherless_ pigeon. Ugh! Finally, the old tatoo pattern flowed smoothly across my delicate skin, and gained depth. Now, I was a pigeon.  
Only one thing missing... or was there?  
The mind of the pigeon seemed almost blank, so much that I hardly even noticed it; the only instincts that I could detect were distant alerts to find food, watch for predators. I was instantly content with myself for picking such a calm animal for the Hork-Bajirs' first morph, provided that this mission was so urgent that I had very little time to decide.  
At last I peeked out of the pigeon's small round eyes, and to my expectance, the vision was about as good as a human's, maybe a little more weary of shiny, glittering objects. I looked around and to my astonishment saw three identical birds. _No threat_, the pigeon's mind told me vaguely. I was dimly amazed that Ket, being a normal, not-terribly-smart Hork-Bajir, had succeeded, although her eyes were still shut tight.   
Ket? You can open your eyes now, I gently told her, and to Toby, Is everything okay? How do you feel?  
I feel... calm. Strange, though. It's like there is someone else in here with me.  
Yes, that's the bird's instincts. They come with every morph.  
Ket had opened her eyes and in panic taken several steps back. Looking around frantically, it dawned on her that we must be Toby, Rachel, and Marco. Privately, I whispered to Marco, Glad we picked such calm morphs, eh? I can't believe they're handling it so well,  
Yeah, me neither. Hork-Bajir must be pretty stable when it comes to the unknown.  
Agreed. I turned my attention back to the curious, yet terrified looking "newbies," Ket? Are you okay?  
Rachel, it was Toby. I don't think Mother knows how to make speech in her head. Could you explain?  
Oh, brother, I moaned quietly, Why me?  
On a louder and considerably more cheerful note, I said, Ket, if you need to speak, just make a picture of yourself talking in your mind. Think what you want to say.  
Seconds passed in silence. Ten. Fifteen.  
Toby? I breathed a mental sigh of relief. Ket's uncertain voice was music to my ears. If she hadn't been able to speak... I didn't want to think what could have happened.   
I am here, Mother. Do not be scared.  
Toby is bird! she yelped nervously.  
Yes Mother. Marco and Rachel are too, said Toby, So are you.  
Ket noticed this small fact as soon as she looked down, moved her arms, hopped forward. Ah! Ket is bird!  
It's okay, Ket. Calm down, I stepped in control. Marco and I had been sitting in a kind of trance, watching the Hork-Bajir speak. It was amazing, that suddenly there were two new morph-capable creatures. Because of us. We have to fly now. At Toby and Ket's sudden protests, I hastily added, Just let the bird do it. And follow us.  
I, too, had to let the pigeon mind do much of the flying. Pigeons fly about twenty feet, land, then fly some more. It got really annoying after a while. Plus, when in danger, the instincts were overwhelming. _Fly! Fly!_  
Besides that, though, it was okay. And I enjoyed listening to the ecstatic comments of the Hork-Bajir.   
Wow! Flying!  
In the air! High up!  
This is amazing!  
Ahhh!  
Ha hah!  
Okay, we're almost there,  
The last one was me. As we glided over the modern, suburban subdivision, Marco and I alighted on a roof and the others followed. A roof which happened to be across the street from the King household.   
Erek King lived there. The Chee. I could see him through the window, eating lunch. At least, shoveling holographic food through a holographic mouth. If it had been real food, it would have been incinerated the second it entered the hologram.  
The Chee are a race of Androids. Machines. They're programmed against violence and have life spans of thousands of years. An eternally happy, nonviolent, but dying race called Pemalites landed on Earth thousands and thousands of years ago and released their pet Androids, who fused the essence of the Pemalites into dogs. That's why dogs are always so cheerful.  
I instructed the others to stay put and landed carefully on Erek's roof. From there I moved to the railing beside the oversized aok door. I could see him through the window. Unlike the hawk's or eagle's eyes, I couldn't see through the hologram to Erek's true form, a metal-and-ivory-dog resemblance.  
Erek.  
He didn't do anything to acknowlege my speech but give a slight nod.   
This is Rachel. I'm a pigeon on your front railing. I noticed him gaze lightly in my direction, see me, and wink quickly. We have a ...situation. Marco, Toby, and Ket are on the roof across the street. I saw his eyes widen in shock. He knew who, and what, Toby and Ket were. Listen. Could you possibly extend your hologram further, to include the front of your house? We'll fly in and demorph.  
Five seconds later a slight pop! gave away the fact that a new hologram had been created.   
Okay, Marco, Erek has the hologram up around the house. Fly onto the porch and demorph, I said briskly. He obeyed, Toby and Ket following. They flew casually across the street and from inside the hologram I could see them pop through it; from ouside it probably looked as if they'd disappeared. Okay, demorph.  
The four of us hopped onto the cement and demorphed, finishing just as Erek opened the door and stood watching us.   
He grinned. "A situation, eh?"  
  
  
Yay! LOL... I wrote this one instead of typing. That's why it's so long. I was on vacation.


End file.
